India AI, Quantum, Biotech Innovation: Pemmasani

New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) Minister of State for Communications, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, on Wednesday said a positive shift in the national mindset is fuelling advances in AI, quantum technology and biotechnology.

Speaking at IMC 2025, the minister emphasised that innovation is not new to India, drawing attention to the nation's historical contributions, such as the invention of zero and chess, and asserted that this deep-rooted talent for innovation has been reawakened and will continue to propel India forward.

"Perhaps the most profound change has been psychological - The Mindset Metamorphosis. We've moved from a defensive "we can't" to an assertive "why can't we?" This shift in national consciousness may be our greatest achievement of all.

"What we've achieved in a decade isn't miraculous -- it's methodical... making innovation accessible, affordable, and achievable for every Indian, regardless of background or geography. AI revolution, quantum computing, and biotech breakthroughs are coming at unprecedented levels," Pemmasani said.

India has turned innovation into a people's movement -- a national and collective mission, he said.

Pemmasani pointed to a changing national outlook that regards every setback as a learning opportunity, not a failure. He detailed government efforts to nurture this ecosystem -- including the Rs 10,000 crore Fund of Funds to accelerate investment in sectors ranging from agritech to spacetech.

"We've developed and deployed indigenous 4G and 5G stacks on BSNL towers, proving we can build core technologies. We've launched India's first indigenous MRI machine. When the world faced COVID-19, we didn't wait, we developed our own vaccine.

"These achievements signal a fundamental shift in how the world, and more importantly, how we ourselves, view Indian innovation," the minister noted.

The India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 is expecting over 1.5 lakh visitors from 150+ countries. The event will feature 400+ exhibitors showcasing 1,600+ tech use cases across 5G, 6G, AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, green tech, quantum computing, and smart mobility' including 800 AI-driven applications.